Politics and Elections
August 1, 2023 – Updated list of anti-choice MPs after the vote on Bill C-311 in June 2023.
List of anti-choice MPs in Mandarin: 持反对选择权的 国会议员名单
August 1, 2023 – Whipping the Conservative Party – It’s now in the anti-choice corner (statement explaining our new list of anti-choice MPs)
June 20, 2023 – Anti-Choice Private Member Bills and Motions. At least 48 anti-choice private member bills or motions have been introduced in Canada’s Parliament since 1987. Here is the complete list with details.
Past Resources
March 26, 2023 – Six reasons to oppose Bill C-311 – Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall’s private member bill would create an “aggravating circumstance” clause in the Criminal Code to allow for greater penalties when a pregnant person is attacked. ARCC opposes this bill because it is redundant and the anti-choice movement is using it as a vehicle to advance fetal rights.
August 19, 2021 – Quick Election Toolkit. Election day is September 20. Check out our new and recycled election tools here.
April 9, 2021 – Oppose Bill C-233 to ban sex selection abortion. It would harm peoples’ health, safety, and rights.
January 8, 2021 – ARCC’s submission to an Ontario government committee regarding provincial private member Bill 225, “Harvey and Gurvir’s Law” (Provision of Information Respecting Down Syndrome). The bill wrongly includes a 48-hour waiting period before doctors can provide treatment information to patients, and also mandates doctors by law to provide certain information.
August 20, 2020 – The Conservative Party is still anti-choice: Its future viability may depend on whether it can leave the abortion issue behind.
October 14, 2019 – ARCC’s Election Toolkit. Worried about the October election and what the results might mean for abortion rights and access? Jump into action by using our toolkit!
March 14, 2018 – Please send a letter to your MP asking them to vote NO to a March 1 Conservative motion that seeks to undermine the new attestation requirement for the Canada Summer Jobs program. The Conservatives are misleading their constituents on what it means, and are denying summer jobs for youth. Here is ARCC’s Statement (page 1) followed by our Critique of the March 1st debate (pages 2-5).
March 4, 2016 – ARCC Cannot Support Bill C-225. Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall’s bill would make it a separate offence to injure or kill a fetus during a crime against a pregnant woman, but this would in effect give a fetus some legal rights as a human being, and thereby pose a threat to women’s constitutional rights and abortion rights. Here’s our main position statement, and a clause-by-clause comparison of Bill C-225 with the previous Bill C-484.
September 12, 2015 – Letter to Williams Lake BC mayor and City Council, asking them to reject application from anti-choice group for “Celebrate Life Week” (Sept 27 – Oct 4).
Feb 3, 2015 – List of pro-choice MPs and those with an Unknown stance, after the Nov 2014 by-elections. (Will not be updated with September 2015 results).
April 11, 2014 – Take Action for New Brunswick Women! Use this page to send letters to government officials, sign a petition, attend an event, and spread the word, regarding the upcoming closure of the Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic, and the urgency of repealing the NB payment regulation that illegally restricts access.
Nov 23, 2013 – Woodworth’s New Motion Is Not About Abortion, and I’m the Queen of England. “He must think we’re stupid.” ARCC member Jarrah Hodge shows that MP Stephen Woodworth inhabits his own bizarro world where it’s all about abortion, but pretends to the public it’s not.
Oct 9, 2013 – Canadian organizations working in sexual and reproductive health denounce the inconsistency of Canada’s Conservative government regarding women’s health.
Oct 4, 2013 – Maternal health without abortion: A fundamental hypocrisy. Harper and the Cons abandon millions of women and children in developing countries once again – in the name of saving them.
March 2013 – Motion 408: The Pretender. Mark Warawa’s Motion 408 is actually a tool designed to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, and not to condemn discrimination against females.
December 2012 – Motion 408 and sex-selection abortion: Pretending to care about women (published on Rabble.ca). Anti-choice Conservative Mark Warawa’s call to “condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination” is ironic in light of the Conservative government’s record of institutionalizing discrimination against women, and Warawa’s own record of opposing safe and legal abortion for women.
September 2012 – “A Crushing Defeat for Motion 312” – This is it! We’re in the final few weeks before the second debate (Sep 21) and the vote (Sep 26). Please take a moment to lend your voice to this campaign, by gathering more paper petition signatures, asking anti-choice MPs to oppose the motion, and reminding your own MP to vote No. Let’s send Motion 312 back to the hell hole it came from! Join ARCC’s “Crush Motion 312” campaign.
September 13, 2012 – Notable Canadian Women Oppose Motion 312. Fifty-six women leaders, authors, entertainers, politicians, union leaders, and others have signed this letter opposing Motion 312. The signatories ask that women MPs stand up for women’s rights and vote against the motion.
March 2012 – Motion 312 – Action Alert! This page has it all! Find links to a petition, sample letters, arguments, news, and actions to counter the Woodworth motion (M-312), which dangerously seeks to extend the definition of “human being” in Canada’s Criminal Code to include fetuses, and thereby negate women’s constitutional rights.
June 17, 2011 – Sample Letter (generic) for your Member of Parliament – Send this letter (feel free to customize!) to your Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister or Cabinet members, and other government officials, urging them to defend abortion rights in the Harper majority government.
May 31, 2011 – Spring 2011 Activist – Newsflash. Abortion rights at risk! Please help with the battles ahead.
May 18, 2011 – What Could Happen to Reproductive Rights Under a Harper Majority? – Many actions could be taken over the next four years to restrict or try to restrict abortion rights and access. Get informed and prepared for the fight!
April 25, 2011 – Video of the press conference held at the Morgentaler Clinic in Toronto, warning that a Harper government will put abortion at risk for Canadian women.
April 23, 2011 – Anti-Abortion Movement “Too Cozy” with the Conservative Government – Canada’s anti-abortion movement has a growing and significant influence on the Conservative government, and that poses a serious danger to abortion rights.
April 18, 2011 – A Harper Majority? Say Goodbye to Abortion Rights. Abortion could easily be recriminalized under a Conservative majority government, despite Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s promises to the contrary.
April 5, 2011 – Questions to Ask Your Candidate on Abortion and Women’s Equality. Here are 3 prepared questions to use at all-candidates’ meetings or other opportunities to speak to your local candidates.
April 3, 2011 – List of Anti-Choice MPs – 2011. ARCC’s updated list of anti-choice MPs just prior to the May 2011 election. (Here is previous list after 2008 election.) Also: List of Pro-choice MPs and those with Unknown stance.
March 29, 2011 – ARCC’s statement on New Brunswick’s decision to abolish the NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
December 2010 – Please write your MP to urge them to vote against Bill C510 (to prohibit “coerced abortion.”) This bill is just another disguised anti-abortion bill pretending to help women, but it’s really designed to promote abortion stigma, paternalize women, and open the door to re-criminalizing abortion. Here’s a NEW sample letter (updated from our November sample letter.)
June 2010 – Our G8 petition was submitted to Prime Minister Harper on June 23. Read our accompanying letter to Harper, and our press release.
May 2010 – G8 Action Alert! There’s many things you can do to help ensure that the G8 maternal/child health initiative will include funding for family planning and safe abortion. Sign a petition, write a letter, join a Facebook group, attend a forum, and more.
November 2008 – List of Anti-Choice MP’s after the October 2008 Election. 38% of all MPs have anti-choice records, including 68% of the Conservative caucus, 25% of the Liberal caucus, and 2 Independents. The stance of 21% of MPs is unknown.
October 2008 – A Liberal MP has introduced a bill to ban abortions past 20 weeks. (first written June 2006) Liberal MP Paul Steckle introduced a bill in 2006 to ban abortions after 20 weeks, and introduced it again in 2007. It may come back yet again! Read about what’s wrong with this bill, and the true facts on late abortion in Canada.
September 2008 – National Call to Action with events across the country. Election 2008: “Don’t Play With Women’s Rights!” Check our Calendar of Events. Read speeches from Vancouver events.
September 2008 – A Harper Majority Government Would Pass Anti-Abortion Restrictions. At least 40% of MPs in the current Parliament have anti-choice records: 74% of the Conservative caucus, and 28% of the Liberal caucus. This page includes a complete list of all known anti-choice MP’s and their recent voting records.
May 2008 – Arguments Against Bill C-537: “Protection of conscience rights in the health care profession”. A bill introduced by Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott would violate patients’ right to healthcare, as well as conflict with Prime Minister Harper’s election promise not to legislate on abortion.
April 2008 – Oppose Bill C-484! – The “Unborn Victims of Crime Act” poses a serious danger to abortion rights and women’s rights. (Note: This link goes to a list of many resources and articles on Bill C-484, which died when the election was called in fall 2008.)
March 2007 – New Brunswick is enforcing an illegal law that restricts abortion and violates women’s constitutional rights. Take action today!
June 2006 – The Conservative minority government poses a danger to abortion rights and access. And it still does as long as they’re in government. Take action today!
